Table 1.

Key definitions of core concepts

Core concept	Definition
Participation/ inclusivity in development of policies and plans	This looked at the extent to which a policy or plan provided for (i) mechanisms (or representation) for communities to participate in, claim and benefit from entitlements in national systems and/or (ii) stakeholder engagement in its development and/or (iii) dissemination to key stakeholders or the general public
Equity considerations in budgets and resource allocation	This looked at the extent to which policy or plan incorporated inequity metrics (e.g. deprivation) in public budget resource allocation
Non – discrimination	This examined whether the policy or plan supported the rights of vulnerable groups to have equal opportunity in receiving health care
Individualized services (also referred elsewhere as acceptability [26])	This examined the extent to which a policy or plan supported the rights of vulnerable groups to receive individually tailored services to meet their needs and choices
Entitlement:	This looked at whether the policy or plan stipulated how vulnerable groups qualified for specific benefits relevant to them
Access	This looked at whether the policy or plan supported vulnerable groups in terms of their physical, economic, and information access to health services
Quality	This examined whether the policy or plan supported quality services to vulnerable groups through highlighting the need for evidence-based and professionally skilled practice
Efficiency	This examined the extent to which a policy or plan supported efficiency by providing a structured way of matching health system resources with service demands to address health needs of vulnerable groups
Effectiveness (Evidence-based focus)	This examined whether the policy or plan used best evidence and practises to optimize health outcomes.
Accountability:	This examined whether the policy or plan under review specified to whom, and for what, services providers were accountable
Do no harm/ Safety	This examined whether the policy or plan under review provided for minimization of risks during healthcare delivery
Cultural responsiveness	This looked at whether the policy or plan under review ensured services responded to the beliefs, values, gender, interpersonal styles, attitudes, cultural, ethnic, or linguistic, aspects of the person.
Intersectionality	This examined whether the policy under review took into account intersectionality i.e. going beyond the singular categories that are typically favoured in equity-driven analyses (e.g., sex and gender in sex and gender based analysis) and also beyond the kind of enumerated list of determinants of health often found in health impact assessments (e.g. residence, wealth etc.) to consider interactions between categories and determinants simultaneously e.g. impact of gender and education level simultaneously [26].
Human resources for health (HRH)	This looked at whether the policy or plan provided for the development (e.g. through training) and maintenance of appropriate HRH to ensure adequate provision of quality healthcare services to women and children
Infrastructure	This examined whether the policy or plan provided for the development and maintenance of appropriate infrastructure to ensure adequate provision of quality healthcare services to women and children